US Elections 2024: Fox News to interview Kamala Harris on Oct 16—first with a Democratic candidate in 8 years!

US Elections 2024: Democratic presidential candidate and US Vice President Kamala Harris will have her first formal interview with Fox News Channel’s chief political anchor Bret Baier on October 16 at 6 pm. 

Fox News last interviewed a Democratic presidential candidate in 2016.

While Harris was earlier interviewed by ABC News in September and by other media outlets, the sit-down with Fox News marks the first time the Democratic nominee is stepping out of her comfort zone since being nominated to run in the presidential race, reported AP.

Kamala Harris interview: When and where to watch

Viewers can watch Kamala Harris' interview on Fox News on October 16 at 6 pm (US time) (October 17, 3:30 am IST).

Fox News said the interview will be aired as part of political anchor Baier's ‘Special Report’ from the key swing state of Pennsylvania. 

‘Special Report’ is among the most-watched programmes on cable news and has been a hit for the upcoming elections as opposing political leaders debate over common issues.

Fox News and the Democrats: Why it matters

Senior Democratic officials have long shown hostility towards Fox News, so much so that they had barred the network from hosting a primary debate in 2020, said a New York Times report. 

In 2016, Hillary Clinton was the last Democratic presidential nominee to sit for a Fox News interview. Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden has not appeared on the network since taking office.

It is the first time in eight years that a Democrat will be interviewed by Fox News. Against such a backdrop, Kamala Harris's interview with Fox News is expected to address a viewership that may be sceptical of her candidacy, reported NYT. 

US Elections 2024: A look at Trump and Harris interviews

In August 2024, Tesla chief Elon Musk interviewed Donald Trump on Spaces. It was the first in a series of interviews ahead of the US Elections 2024, following which Donald Trump's rival Kamala Harris had been heavily criticised for avoiding interviews.

Kamala Harris, meanwhile, settled her scores by taking a dig at Donald Trump. At a Greenfield event on October 13, Harris criticised the MAGA Republican Trump for not releasing his medical records and refusing a “60 Minutes” interview.

“It makes you wonder: Why does his staff want him to hide away?” said Kamala Harris. “One must question: Are they afraid that people will see that he is too weak and unstable to lead America? Is that what’s going on?” Harris questioned, reported AP.

Donald Trump, on the other hand, attacked Harris and Fox News on social media Monday, saying the network “has grown so weak and soft on the Democrats.”